The instant invention relates to safety eyewear and more particularly to safety eyewear having a single-lens that can be removed quickly and easily.
Individuals need to wear safety glasses in many different fields of work. As a result, the eyewear industry has developed a variety of safety eyewear products, and there are numerous types of safety glasses commercially available. In many cases, the industry has designed safety eyewear for use in particular work applications and environments. For example, workers in metal-machining operations wear safety eyewear designed to protect their eyes from flying metal shards and other debris. In chemical industries, workers wear safety eyewear designed to protect them from chemical splashes and spills. Also, technicians, who operate lasers, wear safety eyewear designed to protect their eyes from being exposed to light emitted from the laser. Because lasers can emit light at different wavelengths, a variety of lenses, each specifically designed for filtering light at a particular wavelength may be required.
In recent years, there has been a tremendous growth in safety regulations requiring individuals to wear safety eyewear while participating in many different activities. Many of these safety eyewear products have a single or mono-lens attached to a frame. The single-lens acts as a shield, protecting the eyes of a person wearing the eyewear. As a result of the requirements for different lenses in different environments and circumstances, customers of safety eyewear products have grown interested in eyeglasses having interchangeable lenses. In many instances, it is more cost-effective and convenient to purchase and store a variety of lenses than to purchase and store many different safety glasses. With safety eyewear containing a replaceable lens, a person can remove and install the lens based on a particular job task or other reason. For instance, a person can replace a soiled and/or damaged lens with a new lens. Also, a person can change the color and style of the lens for fashion reasons.
Some eyewear products having an interchangeable single-lens have previously been developed. For example, Canavan et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,617,588 discloses protective goggles having a single-lens. The goggles include a rigid frame portion and a resilient face-engaging portion. The lens is releasably mounted to the frame body by outwardly facing detents located on the side walls of the lens. The detents on the lens slide into and engage slots located on the side walls of the frame.
Wang, U.S. Pat. No. 5,898,469 discloses single-lens eyewear having a curved frame with a long groove formed in its lower edge. The frame includes an opening at each end for receiving a temple bar and a position hole for receiving a screw that secures each temple bar to the frame. The single-lens contains notched portions that fit in the long groove of the frame. A screw is screwed into the position holes to connect the temple bars to the frame. The screws provide a pivot point for the temple bars.
Moore, U.S. Pat. No. 5,900,922 discloses glasses having a flexible frame containing a unitary lens. The frame includes a flexible first and second groove and nose piece. The upper and lower edges of the lens are pushed into the grooves to mount the lens. The '922 Patent indicates that no screws or other mechanical fasteners are used to mount the lens.
Hall, U.S. Pat. No. 5,969,787 discloses eyewear having a ventilated brow bar frame which is detachably secured to a single-lens. Two temple arms are pivotally attached to the brow bar frame to allow for adjustment of the pantoscopic angle of the eyewear. The lens include detents which engage ridges in the mounting sections of the frame. The lens is positioned in channels having surfaces which match the inner and outer surfaces of the lens. Also, the lens is described as preferably including a dimple which engages a hole in the lens to securely fasten the lens to the brow bar frame.
Schleger et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,349,422 discloses protective eyewear having a facial shield that is attached to a brow bar. The '422 Patent mentions that in some embodiments the shield includes pivot pins disposed on each side of the shield which allows pivoting of the lens with respect to the bridge bar. The bridge bar further includes an extension that snaps into an opening in the shield. The bridge bar also includes side swivel sockets for receiving the pivot pins on temple bars. The pivot pins snap into the swivel holes provided in the bridge bar.
Although some conventional eyewear is made with an interchangeable single-lens, it still can be difficult to remove and replace some single-lenses efficiently in some instances. A person may need special tools to remove such a lens. Also, a person may have to grasp the lens repeatedly while attempting to remove them from the frame. This constant handling may lead to soiling or damaging of the lens. Moreover, some eyewear frames may not hold the lens securely in place during normal use.
In view of the foregoing, there is a need for improved eyewear having an interchangeable single-lens. The eyewear should hold the lens tightly within the frame during normal activities. At the same time, a person should be capable of removing and replacing the lens quickly and easily. The present invention provides such improved single-lens eyewear. These and other objects, features, and advantages of this invention are evident from the following description and attached figures.